INS Garden Party 2017

On Sunday 25th June, the historic grounds of Trumpeters’ House in Richmond, once described as the ‘most charming house in the world’ by Victorian prime minister Benjamin Disraeli, played host to local charity INS’s (Integrated Neurological Services) Garden Party. With kind permission of the current resident of the house, Baroness Van Dedem, and the generous sponsorship of Bluebird Care, this event helped to raise both funds for, and public awareness of the fantastic work that INS does.

The Twickenham-based charity provides long-term support for people and their carers in the Richmond and Hounslow area who live with neurological conditions. Since its establishment in 1993, the charity has helped a huge number of families affected by conditions such as MS, Parkinson’s and Strokes and through events such as the Garden Party, the charity hopes to inform more people of the life-changing services they provide.

Speaking to the CEO of the charity, Peter Mas-Mollinedo, it is clear to see just how special and unique INS is. Not only is the organisation able to offer highly skilled and experienced therapists in both physical and mental health fields, they also provide what Peter described as a ‘holistic approach to the individual’; meaning that they focus on all aspects of a persons health and do everything in their power to enhance their clients overall quality of life.

Representatives from Bluebird Care were equally as praising of the work that INS performs. A phrase which I heard regularly from the people I spoke to was ‘above and beyond’; the level and quality of care provided by INS truly is second to none and representatives from Bluebird were keen to see the organisations work reach more people in the community.

Whilst one of the main aims of the Garden Party was to raise public awareness of INS, it was also clear to see the hard work that had gone into making the event a fun, family-friendly afternoon. With performances ranging from a string quartet to an a capella jazz trio, there was plenty on offer for all to enjoy. A Polynesian dancing duet even helped to bring some Pacific vibes to Richmond! The success of the event was made possible by the tireless work of the volunteers going on behind the scenes and, after having spoken to many of the volunteers, it was clear to see the friendship and camaraderie generated by helping out at such an event. Sarah and Caroline, both volunteers at INS, told me what a valuable experience they had discovered volunteering to be; Caroline in particular emphasised the ‘brilliant team spirit’ she had experienced through volunteering for INS and, when asked whether she would recommend volunteering, the answer was ‘100% yes!’.

Of course, sincere gratitude must be given to the Baroness Van Dedem who so kindly allowed the charity to use the grounds of the house for the event. Speaking to the baroness, it is obvious that charity is something she is very passionate about and is something she wishes to promote in society. The baroness told me that her love of Richmond and the neighbouring communities was just one of the reasons she felt it so valuable to help local charities such as INS; ‘I believe that one of the most important things in the world is to help others’ she told me, a sentiment which certainly shines through in events such as INS’ Garden Party. The baroness was also optimistic about the future of INS, expressing her eagerness to see what was next for the charity whilst adding that she was more than willing to assist the charity in any way she could so that they might achieve their future goals.

The kindness of Baroness Van Dedem combined with the on-going hard work of all those involved with INS helped to make the Garden Party a resounding success and one which will no doubt help the charity to continue its growth within the local community.